


White Flag

by Alexandria (heartfullofelves)



Category: Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: F/F, Nonnies Made Me Do It, Sexy thigh wounds, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-09 16:15:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19890694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartfullofelves/pseuds/Alexandria
Summary: When Varia is injured in battle, Eve doesn’t leave her to die.





	White Flag

The battle should have been short, over in the blink of a Roman’s eye. But the odds turned against the Amazons and Varia was one of the unlucky ones, taking a short sword to the thigh and falling in agony. She lay on the forest floor, unable to rise. Pine needles dug into her backside.

As her vision blurred and the battle noises around her faded, she wondered if this was it, her final moment on Earth. A small smile decorated her lips – an honourable death in battle was all an Amazon could hope for. She was ready.

But someone helped her to her feet, placing her arm around their scrawny shoulders and dragging her off the battlefield. She didn’t struggle, knowing that whether she lived or died was out of her hands now. Her life was in the hands of –

“Eve?” A lack of energy prevented Varia from sounding as perplexed as she was. Of all the women to save her, she hadn’t expected the former Bitch of Rome.

“Good, you’re conscious.” Relief coloured Eve’s features.

Varia’s lips were dry. She licked them, noticing that Eve glanced away and concentrated on where they were limping to. The decision of whether to thank Eve for her help or ask why she hadn’t left Varia to bleed died on the tip of her tongue when she stumbled on a twig.

Eve righted her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Varia knew she sounded the opposite of convincing, but it didn’t matter; Eve shut up until they reached the Amazon village.

The world went fuzzy again.

Next thing Varia knew, she was on her back, staring at the rafters of the healing hut. Nothing hurt, but her head felt strange. Groaning, she sat up. She took a deep breath before glancing down at the mess that was sure to be her leg. To her surprise, it wasn’t that bad – the wound had been cleaned and stitched up. It would leave yet another scar, but she would heal.

Hurried footsteps made her look up. It was Eve, carrying a roll of bandages. She smiled when she saw Varia.

“The healer did a good job. How are you feeling?” she asked.

Varia snorted. “Like I’ve been stabbed with a Dryad bone.”

Eve smiled. “Gabrielle’s got a good story about that. You should read scroll number 28.” She cleared her throat and held up the bandages. “I’m here to dress your wound.”

“Look,” Varia said with a scowl, “you’re the last person I want bandaging me up.”

Eve pulled up a stool and sat down. “I understand. I wouldn’t want that either. But everyone’s busy, so it’s either me or you’re doing it yourself.” She put the roll of bandages in Varia’s hand.

As Varia wrapped her fingers around the bandages, she understood the choice Eve was giving her. It wasn’t just about the bandages. She closed her eyes to think. Then, sighing, she opened them again and put the roll back in Eve’s hand.

“Thank you,” she said, meeting Eve’s knowing blue gaze.

Staying silent, Eve ducked her head and got Varia to lift her leg so she could reach the wound. Varia drew a sharp breath as Eve touched her thigh. Eve’s hands were neither cold nor warm, but her touch was so intimate that it was wrong. The same hands that had killed Varia’s sister six years ago were now healing. Caring.

After one rotation of the bandage, Eve looked up. “This okay? Not too tight?”

Varia swallowed, heart racing as she met Eve’s eyes. She shook her head. “Keep going,” she murmured.

So Eve continued to wind the bandage around Varia’s thigh, keeping it nice and tight. Soon, Varia felt a tightness somewhere else, and she shifted, hoping Eve wouldn’t notice.

She did. “Are you all right?” she asked, looking at Varia with a furrowed brow.

“Yes,” Varia whispered. She raised her eyes to the ceiling, pressing her lips together as Eve continued her work.

All too soon, Eve finished the dressing, cutting the bandage and tying the ends. A strange noise escaped Varia’s mouth before she could stop it.

“Sorry.” Eve winced. “Must’ve bumped you.”

Varia’s cheeks were warm. “It’s fine.”

“I’d tell you to keep the dressing dry and get a new one when it stops looking so fresh, but something tells me you’ve done this before.” A wry smile tugged at Eve’s lips.

“Mm,” said Varia. “Same goes for you.”

She couldn’t help remembering the first battle in which they’d fought on the same side, and what had happened afterwards in the healing hut. Eve had helped some of the wounded Amazons before comparing scars with Varia. Somehow, even though there’d been others around, it had been very intimate for two strangers. Back then, it had been Eve with a scratch on her thigh. Back then, Varia had been no less aroused than she was now.

Eve moved her hands away, but Varia grabbed them. They stared at each other, Eve’s mouth falling open in surprise. It was wrong, but everything inside Varia wanted to tell Eve not to stop, to keep her hands on her. She imagined pulling Eve to her and letting Eve touch every inch of her body. She imagined a hard kiss deserving of the history and tension between them. She imagined Eve’s hand between her legs, feeling her wet warmth.

A flicker in Eve’s eyes made Varia wonder if Eve was having similar thoughts, if perhaps she would oblige Varia’s destructive fantasy. It would be a beautiful thing born of hate.

But sense returned to Varia as reality came flooding in. She had a serious injury and they were in the healing hut, surrounded by other wounded Amazons and the women taking care of them.

So, for the second time, she said, “Thank you.”

Eve withdrew her hands. Varia expected Eve to tell her she was just doing the right thing, trying to be a good person, but she didn’t. What Eve said didn’t disappoint Varia at all.

“You’re welcome, Varia,” she said.


End file.
